Zayn stood still while the servants finished getting him dressed. They buttoned up his dark jacket, adjusted the silver pins on his collar, and straightened the heavy ceremonial sash across his chest. The outfit was stiff and uncomfortable, meant to impress, not to move in.
Across the room, Victoria twirled in front of the mirror. Her red dress hugged her body and sparkled at the edges. It was bold, low-cut, and made to grab attention—and she knew it. Her lips were painted deep red, her hair piled up in perfect waves. She looked like royalty and acted like she already belonged at the top.
“You look like you’re heading to a funeral,” she joked, walking over with a smirk. “Relax. It’s a celebration.”
Zayn didn’t answer. He fixed the edge of his cuff and stared out the window. The road leading to the estate was lined with banners, and guards were already standing at attention. Everything had been cleaned and polished for the big arrival.
A visit he never wanted.
Victoria stepped closer and reached up to fix a strand of his hair that didn’t need fixing. “You’ll do just fine. That whole dark and dangerous vibe suits you,” she teased.
Zayn let out a tired sigh. “They’re not coming to admire me.”
“Oh, but I am,” she said, fingers brushing down his chest.
He didn’t stop her, but he didn’t return the gesture either.
Still, her familiar touch took a little of the edge off. He exhaled, some of the tension slipping from his shoulders.
Victoria smiled. “Much better. Can’t have our Alpha looking miserable in front of the royals.”
Before Zayn could say anything back, the door opened. Ezra stepped in, looking serious.
Zayn turned to face him, his expression going cold again. “All of them?”
Ezra nodded. “The Alpha King. The three other Alphas. And the Lunas too.”
Victoria’s eyes lit up. “Finally.”
“Let’s get this over with,” Zayn muttered.
The slow beat of the drums echoed through the compound like a warning.
Zayn walked through the front courtyard with guards on either side of him. Victoria followed behind, smiling and swaying her hips. The tension in the air was so thick everyone could feel it.
What he didn’t expect to see was the red carpet. It stretched across the stone walkway like a river of blood and rolled out just before the carriages arrived. It was dramatic and unnecessary but had to be done.
He stood at the edge of it, his jaw tight, as the first black carriage came to a stop.
The door opened slowly. Out stepped Alpha King Dace. Tall, pale with sharp cold eyes.
The other Alphas and their Lunas followed behind him, dressed in gold, silk, and too much pride.
Dace didn’t waste time. His eyes scanned the estate with a look of disdain. “So this is the famous Thunderclaw pack,” he said loudly. “Stronger than before, but still built on mud and broken stone.”
Zayn didn’t say a word. The King stepped closer, his boots clicking across the red carpet. “I have to admit, impressive for a former slave.”
Zayn’s shoulders tensed, but his face stayed calm.
Dace smirked. “Oh, don’t look so serious, Zayn. You should be proud! Not many crawl out of chains and call themselves an Alpha... though I imagine the smell of iron never really washes off.”
Some of the guards laughed. One of the Lunas even smiled behind her glove. .com
Victoria’s grin twitched, just slightly. Still, Zayn didn’t react. He dipped his head—polite, but not submissive.
‘Don’t let it show. Not now.’ But inside, the words burned.
He remembered the feel of chains. The sound of laughter was . The stink of blood and fire. They still saw him as less than them.
In the crowd, Lily stood behind a cart of tools, half hidden from view. She couldn’t hear the words but she felt the tension.
Even from where she stood, she could see how tight his jaw was. How still his body had gone. That quiet kind of rage that didn’t explode but simmered dangerously.
She didn’t know why, but it made her flinch, too. The tension got even heavier after King Dace’s insult. f.re(e) w.e(b)nov el.c.om
One by one, the three Alphas behind him stepped forward but none of them showed Zayn any respect. No nods, no handshakes, not even eye contact.
Alpha Revin, the oldest, looked around with a lazy smirk. “Bit small, huh? I thought the great Alpha Zayn would’ve built a fortress by now.”
Alpha Moren wrinkled his nose. “I smell sweat and dirt. Must be all that hard labor,” he said with a mocking grin.
Then Alpha Kade, the youngest and cockiest, leaned toward the King and muttered, “Still can’t believe they let a slave become the Alpha.”
Ezra, standing just behind Zayn, tensed up. His fists clenched, eyes sharp. “Say that again,” he growled under his breath.
Zayn didn’t even have to speak. Just one sharp look from him made Ezra step back. But the Alphas noticed.
“Careful, Alpha,” Revin said, chuckling. “Your little mutt looks ready to bite.”
“No manners,” Moren added. “Poor thing was probably raised in a cage.”
Finally, Zayn turned to face them, his eyes cold but calm.
“I appreciate the concern,” he said to Revin, “but I’ve learned that a smaller pack with real leadership does more damage than a bloated one full of fear.”
Revin’s smile twitched.
Then Zayn looked at Moren. “And hard work? Yeah, I know the smell is strange to warriors who probably haven’t lifted more than a wine glass.”
Zayn then turned to Kade, his voice cutting. “And bloodlines? I may have worn chains, but at least I earned my title. Some of us don’t need to ride on the names of dead fathers just to matter.”
Kade’s hands curled into fists, eyes burning.
That shut them up. Even King Dace’s smirk was starting to fade.
Ezra, behind Zayn, let a small grin slip. He couldn’t help it.
The silence that followed was thick. The three Alphas stood stiff like dogs held back on a leash, angry but unable to snap.
King Dace watched quietly, but there was something in his eyes. Maybe a hint of respect. Maybe a warning.
Then Victoria stepped forward, breaking the tension with a graceful sway of her hips. The jewels on her dress shimmered under the sun.
“Well,” she said smoothly, “isn’t this a fun start?”
Everyone looked at her.
She gave a soft laugh. “Come now, gentlemen. This is a celebration, isn’t it? Let’s not waste time trading insults when we have better things planned.”
Right on cue, a servant stepped up beside her, holding a tray of wine-filled goblets.
She offered the first one to the King. “A drink—to honor unity under one moon.”
The King took it with a short nod.
She turned to the other Alphas. “And if it pleases you, how about a hunt in the forest? There’s plenty of game.”
Revin grabbed a goblet and forced a smile. “A hunt sounds... refreshing.”
Kade just grunted. “Better than standing around.”
Moren took his drink last. He didn’t speak, but his glare said enough.
Zayn didn’t toast. Didn’t drink. He just watched them all quietly.
‘Go chase your deer,’ he thought coldly. ‘The real hunt hasn’t even begun.’